WASTE "PRAY FOR NOTHING'' REVIEW

You can listen to our full interview with WASTE on our Patreon.

When I first listened through WASTE’s sophomore album, Pray For Nothing, it was in a somewhat passive manner; I had it playing in the background while focusing on some computer work. It was simply a hefty chunk of groovy riffs and breakdowns - consistent enough to slightly zone out to but varied enough to not lose interest. Unconsciously, however, I could tell there was something compelling about the way I seemed to be pulled through each track like an artful and intentional journey.

And then “Devil In Blue” came on.

The track actually caused me to stop what I was doing, physically pop my head up to face the music, and fully engage. At that point, I knew I had to hit repeat on the record and dig in deeper.
“Fiend” kicks things off with some spooky ambiance sprinkled with an anticipation-building, trap-style drum beat. The guitars fade in beautifully, matching the siren-like atmosphere that establishes a very tangible uneasy feeling. Following the entrance of the full band, we’re given a simple command:
“Run as fast as you can.”
And with that, we’re tossed into the thick of it. The intensity continues through “Sleepless” and “Nay Sayer” in true deathcore style. The vocals range from deep gutturals smoothly through aggressive mids and up to nasty high squeals. The guitars are ultra-tight, both in riffs and tone. Underneath it all is a solid foundation of bass and drums. Overall, the sonic production is top-notch for any modern metal project. Hell, I’d pit the production quality of Pray For Nothing against a current release of any genre!
Heading into the middle section of the album, “Buried” opens with a swell that harkens back to the atmosphere that began the album. Ending with an utterly massive breakdown, we’re led into the title track. “Pray For Nothing” is a funeral dirge of a song. The omnipresent ambiance leaves us with a sense of emptiness. This angst is felt in the words of “Sorrow”:

“All I want is for the fighting to stop; waiting for the last hammer to drop Waiting for peace of mind; sleeping until the sun will rise… Nothing is certain; nothing is safe ”

— WASTE "Sorrow"

The reflection on emptiness is continued in “Derelict,” even though musically there is a clear shift back to a slightly higher tempo. We’re met again by the spooky ambiance midway through the song, which seems to now be answered by a burst of kick drum and guitar chunking that is vaguely reminiscent of gunfire. “Vain” comes seamlessly out the end of “Derelict” with a freshly frantic speed that eventually sputters out in a brutal beatdown, overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

And now we reach “Devil In Blue.”

This is clearly the climax of Pray For Nothing. The ambiance that has plagued us throughout the entire album is now transformed into a repetitive guitar squeal, obviously meant to replicate police sirens. Clips of news reports (one can assume stories of police brutality) are intertwined with the unsettling tones as the band thunders in, bringing down a hammer of judgment. You know it’s going down when the band builds up to an exposed vocal line: “All pigs must die, screaming in a pool of filth.”
This is the kind of track you can’t wait to experience live, perfect for crowd-killing in the pit. I nearly started tearing my living room apart. Modulating the tempo down for the final moments of doom solidifies “Devil In Blue” as one of the heaviest songs on the album.
The violence continues in “Bully” with an onslaught of deliciously descending grooves. This track includes one of my favorite vocal parts of the entire album. The line is “…with your teeth smashed in…” and there is just a delightful squeal place on the word “teeth.” The vocals are truly masterful throughout the whole record. Notably absent from “Bully” is the ominous ambiance that had continually floated in and out of this musical voyage. Our familiar friend does reappear as “Faceless” swells in to close things out. The vocals are once again featured with some surprisingly melodic lines as the band throws their final punches in this battle against unease. The second half of the song is an epic back and forth beatdown eventually won out by the fading omnipresent nothingness.
Pray For Nothing clearly captures a moment that is fraught with conflict and distrust. Born from a time and place of massive upheaval and civil unrest, this album is the embodiment of rage that many have felt boiling deep in their souls. It is a desperate cry for justice that can only be delivered by aggressive vigilantism. Not only are these emotions communicated overtly in the lyrical content, but they are also perfectly apparent in the sonic arrangement and tonal choices of each individual instrument. The whole work is brilliantly crafted to carry the listener on the intended journey; specifically by the way each track transitions into the next, constantly being pulled forward.
WASTE has done an excellent job in creating an engaging and meaningful work of art. Pray For Nothing is an album with far more depth than may be initially evident by a casual, passive listening.

You can stream Pray for Nothing where ever music’s heard.

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Review and interview by: Craig Sorenson, Writer @Sound_Textures
Edited by: Eric Martin, Writer/Assistant Editor @eamartin95